(including their public houses, families, and descendants)
This is by Marie Miller Maxie
Descendant of William Robinson and Moses Dorton
BethRobinson1958
originally shared this
The Robinson name was among the first on the pages of history in
America. In Fact, John or Jahu Robinson's name was on the list of
Captain John Smith as among those remaining in Jamestown when the ship
returned to England.(1)
Just as earlier the
great Shenandoah Valley beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains lay waiting with
its virgin forests, lush meadows, and sparkling waters-so was the land
beyond the Holston-a wilderness to be conquered by those who peopled it
as wave after wave of settlers came over the Wilderness Road. To get a
mental picture of what the Wilderness Road was like in the beginning,
close your eyes and imagine a narrow path which was just wide enough for
a man on horseback to ride through canebrakes higher than his head,
with individual canes as large as his arm. These canebrakes, along with
the heavy forestation, provided cover for the marauding Indians which
were an ever-present danger.
Stations and forts
were built along the road, just as forts had sprung up earlier when the
great valley was being wrested from the Indians. These shelters were
usually scattered along the "back side" of the frontier and militia or
soldiers were quartered there to protect the settlements. The
Wilderness Road stations were to protect not only the men who were
working to widen the road, but also those families who were coming to
settle in the Commonwealth. Kentucky acted as a springboard for many
who were to settle beyond the Mississippi. As early as 1792, there were
at least three stations in what is now Bell County, Kentucky.(2) One
of these stations was known as Robinson's Station.
William Robinson, Sr., was living near Abingdon, Virginia, during the
American Revolution where he was active in public service-serving as
juror, appraiser and as a patriot. He gave one hundred diets
(meals) for the Washington Militia on the frontiers under Captain Robert
Trimble, and five bushels of corn for the use of volunteers under the
command of Colonel Morgan on their march to the Falls of the Ohio.(3)
In 1792 he was operating a station on the Wilderness Road when Bishop
Francis Asbury wrote in his journal, "We entered the wilderness and
reached Robinson's Station. Two of the company were on foot, carrying
their packs; and women there are with children. These encumberances
make us move slowly and heavily."(4) On the return trip he wrote,
"Early the next morning we made our way to Robinson's Station. We had
the best company I ever met with thirty-six good travelers, a few
warriors; but we had a packhorse, some old men, and two tired
horses-these were not the best part."(5) Then on April 9, 1793, on
another trip into the wilderness he wrote, "I went to Robinson's
Station, where the soldiers behaved civilly. We gave them two
exhortations, and had prayer with them. They honored me with the
swinging hammock (a bearskin) which was as great a favour to me as the
governor's bed; here I slept well."(6)
Robinson's Station was located at Cumberland Ford, across the river from
the present town of Pineville, Kentucky. He was probably there some
time before the Bishop was a guest at the station. William Robinson
bought land from George Brooks in Claiborne County, Tennessee, in 1799,
and was living there when he died. His will was written the eleventh of
December, 1802, and was probated the June term, 1804, in Claiborne
County, Tennessee. The following is a copy:
State of Tennessee
Claiborne County
June term 1804
The
last will and testament of William Robinson deceased is herein
immediately after recorded in the following words and figures. (Viz)
In the name of God, and state of Tennessee, being sick and weak of body
but of sound mind and disposing memory, for which I thank God-and
calling to mind the uncertainty of human life, and being desirous to
dispose of all worldly estate as it has pleased God to bless me with-I
give and bequeth the same in manners following, that is to say I bequeth
unto my wife Charity the use and benifit of the plantation wheron I now
live, therewith all the buildings thereon, during her life.
I give and bequeth unto my son Absolom the tract of land containing 700
acres, whereon he now lives together with a tract of 400 acres on the
north side of Wallens Ridge. I leave to the said Absolom, his heirs and
assigns forever. (Authors note-Absolom lived three miles north of
Tazewell, TN (Cedar Fork) before moving to Sneedville, TN in his later
years)
I bequeth unto my son Jacob a tract of
land on both sides of Clinch River, being at Anderson's survey, and
running to the horse shoe, being in three surveys.
I also bequeth unto my son William the tract of land whereon he now
lives, containing 400 acres together with the 50 acres I lately
purchased from Salathiel Martin.
To my son
Littleberry, I bequeth a tract of land whereon he now lives, containing
573 acres, in Cassels Woods, and whereas John Ballinger and myself are
in equal partnership in 8500 acres of land in the state of Kentucky, I
bequeth to my four sons before mentioned and my son-in-law Moses Dorton
all my part of the said 8500 acres of land to be divided amongst them.
I give and bequeth to my grandson, Joseph Dorton, a tract of land of
Wallins Creek, containing 195 acres also to my grandson William Dorton, I
bequeth 100 acres of land at the ford of Cumberland.
And further, I dispose of my moveable estate, in manners following Viz:
I give the use of three negros, Bob, Tom and Hannah, to my wife,
Charity, during her life; Nat and Doll, I give and bequeth to Jacob, my
son; to Littleberry, my son, I give and bequeth a negro wench, called
Jean; To William, my son, I ----? I bequeth a negro fellow named Bob; a
little negro girl called Jane, I give and bequeth to my grand daughter,
Edy Robinson; I give and bequeth unto my son Absolom, a negro wench
called Big Rachel, Sammy, and Little Rachel.
I
also give for the use of my wife, during her life, and at her decease
the negros left to her use, and their increase, to be disposed of in the
following manner: To my daughter Dicy Dorton, I bequeth Tom and Hannah;
To Nelson Robinson, my grandson, I bequeth Sandy, and to Littleberry, I
bequeth Little Rachel.
The claims of land I
have on Yellow Creek, I leave to be divided equally between my son
William and son-in-law Moses Dorton. All the rest of the estate, both
real and personal, of what nature and kind soever, (excepth three work
horses and cows and hogs sufficient for the support of my wife, Charity,
during her life) I desire may be sold and equally divided amongst my
daughter and fours sons herein before named, and at the decease of my
wife all the property remaining, together with the household furniture
of all kinds, to be sold and divided as aforesaid.
I also bequeth to my granddaughter, Edy Robinson, one mare colt.
The land before mentioned in partnership with Mr. John Ballinger the
number of acres in the whole, amount to 17000 acres, my part of which is
8500.
Lastly, I do hereby constitute my old
friend David Chadwell and my sons, William and Littleberry, my executors
of this my last will and testament.
In witness,
whereof, I hereinto set my hand and affixed my seal this eleventh day
of December, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and
two.
WILLIAM ROBINSON
(signed with an X)
Signed,
Sealed, Published and Declared as for the last Will and testament of
the above named William Robinson in the presence of us:
DAVID CHADWELL
JOHN WHITE
HUGH MCCLELLAND
This will was found in the Bell County Court Clerk's office. It was
transcribed and recorded the 20th day of June, 1893, in connection with a
land sale-the grantor was a member of the Dorton family.
The Knox County, Kentucky, Court Records contain the following
information concerning William Jr. He was married to Margaret Wharton
and lived on the land bequeathed to him: which was at Gap Creek, in
Claiborne County, TN. Like his father, William Sr., he was a leader and
Pathfinder of his time. For these people, distant horizons were always
calling. When Madison County, Alabama, was still a part of Mississippi
Territory, William Jr and Margaret were among those settling in
Huntsville.(7)
It is interesting to note that a
William Robertson was listed in the 1830 census of Claiborne County.
His age was 70-80. The name was often spelled both ways, even in the
will of William Sr.
On September 30, 1820,
Absolom Sr purchased two tracts of land containing four hundred and
sixty acres of Mulberry Gap in Claiborne County.(8) One of the
wintesses was Absolom Jr, who was born in 1803 (according to the 1850
census) and Married Eliza Rose. Their children were:
John married 1st Lurinda Hurst; 2nd Rebecca Jones
Nelson "" 1st ______ Jones; 2nd E.M. Henderson
Sterling "" Ann Jones
Reuben "" Lucinda J Burch (settled in Texas)
James K "" Mollie Baylor
Elizabeth "" Joseph B. Neil (Moved west) (Waco, Tx)
Sally "" C. W. Hargreaves (settled in Sneedville, TN)
Henry "" Lettie Jane Baylor
Absolom
Sr.'s family was published in "Old Time Tazewell.(9) At this time
nothing is known about the families of Jacob or Littleberry.
Laodicea (Dicy) married Moses Dorton (also spelled Dalton and Daulton)
about 1784 near Abingdon, Virginia. It is not known just when they came
to Kentucky. According to a genealogical sketch written by a grandson,
David Hogan, on his eighty-second birthday as a gift for his daughter
in the year 1892, he stated this his grandfathers Hogan and Dorton were
in the same immigrant train on the second trip of Daniel Boone into
Kentucky. Mr. Hogan went on to Bryant's Station near Lexington while
Moses Dorton with a number of men was stationed at Cumberland Ford as
Indian spies, for the safety of emigrants; and when the protection was
no longer necessary, Moses Dorton started back to the border of
Virginia, near Abingdon, and married Dicy Robinson in 1784, and
immediately settled in one mile of Cumberland Ford, his old spy station
in Kentucky (Robinson Station). He also stated that Laodicea (Dicy) was
of Scotch, Irish and Indian extraction and was a relative of Pocahontas
and of John Randolph. This information is contained in "Knox County
Kentucky Kinfolk Quarterly," a publication fo the Knox County Ky
Genealogical Society, Inc.(10) It was also interesting to find John
Randolph among the descendants of Pocahontas. The author (Robertson)
said that some had "slipped through the mills of time unnoticed."(11)
Moses Dorton owned eleven tracts of land totalling three thousand one
hundred and forty-three acres in Knox and Harlan County, Ky. Two
thousand acres were sold in 1838 by his sons William and James B. to
Mount Pursiful.(12) This land was on the Cumberland River and embraced
all the territory from Wasioto to Varilla.
The
exact site of Moses Dorton's station or tavern is probably lost forever
because of construction in the area through the years. The tavern was
across the river from the settlement of Cumberland Ford in what is now
the community of Wallsend, and his property extended from the ford of
the Cumberland down to Four Mile Creek, on the northern bank of the
river.
In 1805, Moses Dorton is found operationg
a tavern or inn on the Wilderness Road when Bishop Asbury was a guest
at the tavern on two different trips into Kentucky. This entry is
recorded in the Bishop's journal of 1805, "We took the path about five
o'clock in the morning, and came eighteen miles to dinner with Mr.
Freeman. We reached Johnson's upon Richland Creek. On the Sabbath day
we were under the necessity of moving forward slowly, to Ballinger's,
where we dined. The evening brought us to Dalton's (Dorton's)-crowded
with company, but we kept good order.(13) Then on October 19, 1807, he
was again a guest of Moses Dorton at the tavern on the Wilderness Road.
The Bishop traveled with an armed guard, and some think that he himself
was armed, because he once wrote, "We go armed."(14) (My note: same
station/tavern of his father in law, William Robinson, Sr (Robinson
Station?)
Tavern rates were fixed by counties,
as a protection to the immigrants and travelers. The tavern keepers
were required to have licenses, and the maximum rates that they could
charge were set by the counties. The first tavern prices in Knox
County, Ky which included most of Southeastern Kentucky, were as
follows:
For wine by the gallon or smaller quantity $6.00
For rum or French brandy by the gallon or smaller $6.00
Whiskey by the gallon or smaller quantity 12 shillings
Gin by the gallon or smaller quantity 24 shillings
Cordial by the gallon or smaller quantity 24 shillings
Brandy made of peaches by the gallon or smaller quantity 16 shillings
Diet (meal) for a warm dinner, supper, or breakfast, one shilling and six pense
For a cold breakfast, supper or dinner one shilling
Lodging per man for one night six pense
Corn or oats by the bushel or smaller quantity six shillings
To
these rates were added charges for keeping of hogs and sheep, and down
through the years were subject to change. Thus it can be seen that
tavern keepers did a flourishing business. The foundations of several
fortunes were laid during this time. Hunters also profited from the
venison and turkey, bears, and coons that they furnished the tavern
keepers.(15)
Moses Dorton served in the American
Revolution and was in the Battle of King's Mountain. Moses and
Laodicea (Dicy) Robinson Dorton were the parents of twelve children
whose names, spouses's names, and dates of marriage are listed below:
Joseph William married Mary ______
Elizabeth "" David Hogan 15 Apr 1816
Sally "" Reuben Woods later divorced
Patsy "" John Patton 12 Jan 1814
James B "" Sarah McRoberts 6 Apr 1829
Laodicea "" Peter Wilson 2 Oct 1823
Lucretia "" 1st John Herndon 20 Sep 1815
"" "" 2nd Dr Jess Taylor 21 Sep 1820
Nancy "" John Woolum 24 Mar 1824
Lucinda "" Felix Gilbert 7 Feb 1828
Moses, Jr "" Maria Fortney 10 Nov 1831
Emily "" Willie Hibbard 1 July 1828
Assorted
data on the above includes: James B. was a pioneer legislator from Knox
County, Ky; Lucinda Dorton Gilbert died 27 March 1859, Emily Dorton
Hibbard was born 28 August, 1810, died 1 September 1873, and is buried
in the Jackson Cemetery, Baileys Switch, Knox County, Ky.
By the year 1826, when Moses Dorton died, the Indians had been
dispersed, his children were grown, and he had become a rich man for his
day. It is believed that he is buried in the Wallsend Cemetery near
where his tavern was located. His wife went to live with her youngest
daughter, Emily, and her husband, Wylie Hibbard, in Clay County, Ky
about 1832. She died there in the 1840's.
A
request for a highway marker commemorationg Moses Dorton's Tavern,
Robinson's Station, and their guest, Bishop Francis Asbury, has been
made to the Kentucky Historical Society, Frankfort, Ky. No action has
been taken to this time.
NOTES
(1) Stith, William. "The History of the First Discovery and Settlement of Virginia", 1965
(2) Asbury, Francis. "The Journals and Letters of Bishop Francis Asbury" 1958
(3) Summers, Lewis Preston. "Annals of Southwest Virginia 1769-1800" 1970
(4) Asbury. Op. cit.
(5) Ibid
(6) Ibid
(7) Madison County, Alabama. Deed Book
(8) Claiborne County, Tennessee. Deed Book F, Vol 1
(9) Hansard, Mary A. "Old Time Tazewell" 1979
(10) Knox County Kentucky Kinfolk, April 1981
(11) Robertson, Wyndham. "Pocahontas and her Descendants" 1887
(12) Harlan County, Kentucky Deed Book C, Page 164
(13) Asbury. Op. cit
(14) Asbury. Op. cit
(15) Dyche, Russell "Laurel County Kentucky" 1954
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